One Day You'll Figure It Out
by FifiDoll
Summary: The Glee club is going on a field trip, but Puck isn't going, and that makes Finn suspcious. New Directions can't have one of their strongest vocalists in juvie again, can they? Total fluff ensues. FinnPuck fluffy slash.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

**Author's Note: This was a cute story that came to me on Christmas Eve, and here it is a few days later in all its fluffy glory, ready for you to read!**

**One Day You'll Figure It Out**

It was just another Glee club rehearsal. Mr. Schuester walked in excitedly and began handing out papers to everyone. Instead of a packet of music like usual, it was just a single sheet per person: a permission slip. "We're going on our first Glee club field trip!" Mr. Schue announced happily.

Everyone looked the sheet over. "We're going to another Glee club's invitational to _watch_?" Rachel asked, eyes wide. "Why aren't we competing?"

"If you'll read further down the page, Rachel, you'll see that it's because the invitational is a state away," Mr. Schue pointed out. "We'll be gone for the weekend in Indiana!"

"Uh…is it mandatory?" Puck asked.

"No, it's not, but it's highly encouraged," Mr. Schue replied. "It's a great bonding experience for the group! And athletes, don't worry, I talked to your coaches and you're excused from any games or competitions that are scheduled that weekend."

Puck just nodded and looked down. "We had an anonymous donor volunteer to pay for most of the trip, so everyone will just need to pay the ten dollar entrance fee for the invitational, and any meals we may stop for," Mr. Schue continued. "It's a great opportunity for us to see other groups that are out there and what this group has the potential to achieve. Permission slips are due by Friday, and the trip is next weekend!"

The bell rang, and the students in the choir room filed out slowly. Some were chatting excitedly about the trip and how much fun it would be. Others weren't so sure. Namely, Puck. Once in the hallway, he approached Quinn before she could get too far away. "Hey, Quinn, I gotta ask you something," he said, his eyes shifting.

She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Fine."

Quinn opened her locker and began switching out books and folders. "Well?" she asked. "What did you want? I have to get to algebra."

Down the locker bay, Finn watched Puck talk to Quinn. They both looked serious about something, and Quinn almost looked near tears. _Then again_, Finn admitted to himself. _She looks like she's going to cry a lot of the time._ Once their conversation ended, Puck walked away looking relieved, and Quinn went in the other direction. Finn took that opportunity to pounce. "So, you going on that Glee club trip?" he asked Puck.

"I uh…I don't think so," Puck shook his head, sounding suspicious.

"Why not?" Finn asked.

All the Glee club members in a hotel? He would assume Puck would be all over that. Or all over Santana, at least. "It just sounds lame, okay dude?" Puck shot defensively.

He left down a hallway towards Spanish, and Finn continued to English, looking confused at his friend's behavior.

Come Friday, Mr. Schuester had ten permission slips in his hand. He flipped through them, looking at who was attending and who wasn't. Two members were missing; Finn and Puck. Puck had sounded hesitant when the permission slips first went out, so Mr. Schue kind of understood why he hadn't planned to attend. Finn, on the other hand, was a team co-captain and seemed so excited about the trip. They were excused from their basketball game, so what was the issue? Mr. Schuester intended to find out.

On Monday, he ran into Finn in the hallway. "Hey Finn," he approached kindly.

"Oh, hey," Finn replied, stopping to turn to his teacher. "What's up Mr. Schue?"

"I was just wondering why you weren't going on the Glee club field trip?" he asked politely.

"Oh…" Finn trailed off. He hadn't expected Mr. Schue to ask him this. "I just…it's my grandma's birthday this weekend," he lied. "We're going to visit her on Saturday." Then as an added bit of detail, he said, "She lives in Columbus."

Mr. Schue nodded, "Okay. Well, it's too bad you can't come with us."

Finn nodded awkwardly and said, "I uh…I have to get to class."

With a wave from Mr. Schue, Finn was down the hall. He let out a deep breath. His grandmother didn't live in Columbus, it wasn't her birthday, and Finn wasn't going out of town. No, he had other plans for his weekend…

It wasn't until Glee club practice on Thursday that Mr. Schue got a chance to approach Puck. As rehearsal ended, he called Puck to the front of the classroom near the piano. He waited until the other students were gone and asked, "So, Puck. I'm just wondering why you aren't going on the Glee club field trip?"

Puck instantly looked embarrassed. "I have to work," he said half-heartedly.

"Really?" Mr. Schue asked. He was pressing Puck more than he had Finn; the last thing they needed was one of their strongest male vocalists back in juvie because of another bad decision. "Where do you work?"

"It's more of an independent thing," Puck explained nervously.

"You can tell me what you're really going to be doing this weekend," Mr. Schue said calmly. "I'm not angry that you're not going."

Puck sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Okay. But nobody finds out about this, okay? I can't lose my badass rep _again_," he said.

Mr. Schue nodded, and accepted Puck's excuse for not going as a very good one.

Friday rolled around, and the Glee club was boarding their coach bus, ready to head out to Indiana. Puck stood out by his truck, watching. "Hey, man," Finn approached. "You're not going either?"

Puck just shook his head. "I thought you were all excited about it?" he asked.

"Nah, I gotta go out of town with my mom this weekend," Finn shrugged.

"Have fun with that," Puck rolled his eyes, climbing into his truck. "I'll see you later, dude."

Finn nodded and Puck pulled out of the parking lot with a squeal of rubber on asphalt. Finn rushed to his car and followed Puck at a safe distance until he saw him park at his house. Nothing unusual about that. But Finn _knew_ Puck wasn't telling the truth. Something else was keeping Puck from going on the field trip, and Finn was determined to figure out what it was.

Finn sat in his car, down the street from Puck's house, watching and waiting for something to happen. If nothing suspicious happened by midnight, Finn would go home. He wasn't sure what made him so suspicious about his best friend, but the past year and a half hadn't exactly built up his trust with Puck. Finn snacked on chips, crackers, whatever inorganic stuff he had managed to smuggle from their unbearably healthy cupboards. Finally at 6:15, Puck walked out and got in his truck. Finn started up his car and followed Puck once again.

They drove for much longer than Finn anticipated. He only recognized where they were when they passed Carmel High School. Finn's mind was reeling. Was Puck in a forbidden romance with someone from Vocal Adrenaline like Rachel had been? Was he spying on them for New Directions? What was Puck doing so far out of Lima?

He followed Puck into a nice residential area. Puck's truck parked outside a quaint blue house with white trimmings and a bay window glowing in the darkness. Finn watched closely from down the street as a woman left the house and drove away. Was Puck there alone now? Shutting off his headlights and shedding his letterman's jacket (the last thing he needed was a confrontation with someone from Vocal Adrenaline), Finn got out of his car and began approaching the house.

Nothing looked forbidden or clandestine about what Puck was doing. But Finn still couldn't help but imagine a hundred different scenarios in his mind, each one more ridiculous and obscure than the last. He crept towards the front of the house near the bushes underneath the bay window. Hoping that Puck was distracted, Finn slowly poked his head up so he could see through the window.

His eyes widened at the sight, and Finn froze in his place. There was Puck, sitting on a sofa with a small child in a ridiculously ruffled pink dress in his lap. They were watching what looked like Barney on the television, and Finn wasn't sure what was more shocking. The fact that Puck was watching Barney, or that he was babysitting. It was such an un-badass thing to do.

As soon as Finn lost his balance and hit his forehead on the window, he knew he was screwed. Puck's head instantly turned to the window to see the silhouette of his best friend clamoring away from the window awkwardly. He picked up the girl gently and rushed to the door. "Hudson!" he shouted, opening the door.

The little girl in his arms fussed, but Puck had been successful. Finn turned around, looking guiltier than Puck had ever seen him. "What the hell are you doing here?" Puck asked defensively.

"I…uh…" Finn trailed off.

He could have sworn he almost saw fear in Puck's eyes. "Get inside, it's cold outside," Puck said, stepping out of the doorway to let Finn in.

Finn stepped inside and looked at Puck expectantly. "Now why the hell are you here?" Puck asked angrily.

"Should you really be swearing in front of…" Finn began, but Puck cut him off.

"She's nine months old, she's not going to copy me. Now answer the question."

Finn didn't speak at first. "I guess I just wanted to know what you were up to that you didn't go on the Glee field trip," he shrugged.

"So _you_ skipped the trip to spy on me?" Puck asked, walking into the living room.

"Well, I…my grandma…" Finn argued lamely.

"Your grandma died when you were eight," Puck pointed out as he sat on the floor with the baby girl. "I went to the funeral with you, remember?"

Finn remembered well. Puck was the only person that Finn was close to back then, when he was awkward and shy. He was also the only person that could keep Finn from crying in front of family that already thought he was a "softy." Puck's intimidation skills started well before high school. "Yeah," Finn nodded.

"You just didn't trust me," Puck smirked, handing a stuffed bear to the little girl on the floor.

"I just don't want you back in juvie," Finn defended himself. "You're a really good singer _and_ dancer and we can't afford to lose you."

Puck raised his eyebrow, but didn't argue. "So, do you babysit often?" Finn asked, changing the subject.

"No, this is the first time," Puck said, slightly embarrassed. "And I'll only babysit her."

Finn looked confused for a moment before asking, "Puck…is this…is this Beth?"

Puck just nodded, his eyes never leaving the little girl on the floor. "She's really cute," Finn said.

"Yeah, but she was cursed with my hair," Puck said, playing with her dark curls. "I rock my mohawk, but these damn curls are why I keep it short."

Finn smiled and said, "She looks like Quinn though."

"Lucky girl," Puck pointed out. "Can you imagine if she got cursed with my nose? Or worse, my jaw?"

Finn looked up at his friend, confused. "Dude, you look fine," he pointed out.

"Right," Puck rolled his eyes.

Finn sat on the couch and watched as Puck played with the little girl on the floor. He stood and walked down the hall and returned with a diaper, blanket, and pajamas. He sat down next to Beth again and laid her down on the floor. She watched him with calm, adoring eyes as he looked at her nervously. "What's up, dude?" Finn asked.

"Nothing, I got this," Puck said, tugging her dress up above her head.

She started fussing and making noises. He pulled it back down quickly and looked at her, worried. Beth stopped fussing and watched him with her innocent blue eyes again. "You sure you don't want help?" Finn insisted.

"She's my daughter, I can change her myself," Puck said defensively.

He tugged at the dress again, and this time pulled it up and over her head before she could really cry. He tugged her little socks off and she lay there in just a diaper. "How do I make her not pee on me?" Puck asked nervously.

Finn looked down at the baby with wide eyes. "She'll pee on you?" he asked.

"Shelby said she might, I don't know," Puck shrugged. "You see it all the time in movies. Babies pee on the men because women have this like, magic touch when it comes to changing diapers."

"Maybe just change it really quick? So she doesn't have time to pee?" Finn suggested.

"Help me out?" Puck asked.

Finn nodded and got down on the floor next to Puck. "You take this one off and I'll put the new one on," Puck instructed. "Ready?" Finn nodded. "Go."

Finn pulled the tabs on either side of her diaper and pulled it off quickly. As soon as he was out of the way, Puck slid the new diaper underneath her and wrapped it up and around her. He carefully poured a little powder in before closing it with the tabs. "Success," he smiled, holding his hand up to Finn.

With a smile, Finn returned the high five and watched as Puck picked up Beth's pajamas. She wore sleepers to bed, complete with footies and snaps from the left leg to the neck. He opened the snaps and slowly figured out how to put the pajamas on her. She giggled and cooed as he dressed her. Then he looked to the kitchen, and back down at her. "Watch her while I make her bottle?" he asked.

Finn nodded and sat, looking down in amazement at the baby girl on the floor. Her wide blue eyes watched him for a moment, scrunching closed slowly as he heard a small grumble from her stomach. She was obviously hungry. If her stomach growl hadn't been a dead giveaway, the crying that began right after it was. Wails louder than Finn could have fathomed began emitting from the little mouth. "Hurry up, dude!" Finn called over her crying. "She's hungry!"

"Pick her up!" Puck called back.

Finn's hands hovered over the crying girl on the floor before he slowly tried to maneuver her up into his arms. It was awkward and her crying didn't go away at first. Then he remembered what his mother would do when she held his baby cousin. He was only nine or ten at the time, but what he observed helped him in that moment. He rocked her a little bit and patted her back in a comforting manner. Then he started singing to her. It was a song he often heard playing in their kitchen at home; his mom's new favorite artist was Ingrid Michaelson, thanks in large part to Kurt. Finn began singing the song, much slower than the original version, but he was singing as a lullaby, not a feel good song…

_"Don't you worry there my honey;  
we might not have any money  
but we've got our love to pay the bills."_

His voice was covered by her cries at first, but he soon noticed her cries subsiding to whimpers, then to nothing at all.

_"Maybe I think you're cute and funny.  
Maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you  
if you know what I mean."_

Puck heard the singing and noticed that her crying had stopped. He stood in the doorway and watched Finn cradling his little girl, singing a song in a voice barely above a whisper.

_"Let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France.  
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance.  
Let's get rich and build a house on a mountain makin' everybody look like ants  
from way up there. You and I, you and I…"_

It was a song Puck had heard coming from his mother's stereo in the room next door, and he couldn't help but chime in on the next verse as he entered with her bottle.

_"Well you might be a bit confused…"_

Finn took the next line, confused at Puck's contribution. He smirked as Finn sang,

_"And you might be a little bit bruised…"_

Puck took over again, nodding to Finn that he should sit on the couch. He did just what Puck wanted, and listened to Puck sing with a smile.

_"But baby how we spoon like no one else.  
So I will help you read those books,  
if you will soothe my worried looks,"_

Puck sat next to Finn on the couch and placed the bottle in Beth's mouth, leaving her in Finn's arms. They both leaned over the little girl, now satisfied with a before-bed bottle, and she watched them with drowsy eyes as they both sang,

_"And we will put the lonesome on the shelf._

_Oh let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France.  
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance.  
Let's get rich and build a house on a mountain makin' everybody look like ants  
from way up there. You and I, you and I."_

Beth's eyes fluttered closed as they continued singing and she continued drinking. Puck put her blanket across her stomach and her little fingers curled into its fabric protectively.

_"Let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France.  
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance.  
Let's get rich and build a house on a mountain makin' everybody look like ants  
from way up there. You and I, you and I."_

They harmonized at the end and held out the note as Beth took her final sips from the bottle. She drifted off to sleep without a hitch. Finn and Puck watched her for a moment, amazed at how the simplest things could calm a baby and put her to sleep. Puck reached out and scooped Beth into his arms, careful not to wake her. His fingers brushed Finn's and they made eye contact for a moment. Neither said a word, though, and Puck slowly walked down the hall to Beth's room to lay her down in her crib.

When he returned, Finn was sitting on the couch, his hands in his lap, staring straight forward. "Why didn't you keep her?" he asked Finn seriously.

"I couldn't raise her on my own, and Quinn didn't want to keep her," Puck shrugged. "A baby girl needs a mother. I couldn't take that away from her. I love her too much."

Finn nodded silently as Puck sat down next to him on the couch. "Are you glad you're not the father?" Puck asked softly.

"I was at first," Finn admitted quickly. "I didn't need to pay for those stupid sonograms. I didn't have to listen to Quinn nagging me all the time…" he took a breath and continued softly, "But after tonight? Seeing her and helping you take care of her, part of me wishes she was mine."

"Why?" Puck asked.

"I don't know," Finn shrugged. "I liked it I guess. Taking care of her. It's like, a kid will always remind you of the good things in life."

"How so?" Puck raised an eyebrow.

Finn knew he was about to be ridiculed, but he kept going, "Did you see how much she loved playing with that teddy bear? It's just a teddy bear, it doesn't do anything. It's amazing that something that simple can keep a kid occupied."

"So kids are naïve and don't realize all the good stuff that's still out there," Puck shrugged, trying to un-girl-ify the conversation. "What's the big deal?"

"Kids make you feel like you're loved, no matter what," Finn said. "Just the way she was watching us when she was singing to her made me feel…I don't know…special."

Puck didn't reply to this at first. "I know what you mean," he admitted. "I ran into Shelby when I was at the mall the other day. She had Beth with her. She let me hold her and I felt the same way. That's when she asked if I wanted to babysit every once in a while."

"It sounds bad, but I kinda can't wait to have kids," Finn admitted.

"Are you sure you'll even have kids?" Puck asked.

Finn shrugged and asked, "Why wouldn't I?"

Puck let out a dry laugh. "Toddlers are hell," he said. "Remember back after my sister was born and we'd always have to hang out at your place?" Finn nodded. "That's because my sister was an absolute terror. I couldn't stand her. She made a mess of everything and never listened. You like _babies_, dude, not _kids_."

"Well, whatever," Finn shook his head. "You know what I mean."

They sat on the couch in silence for a minute. "I guess I'd better go," Finn shrugged. "I don't want to get you in trouble or anything."

Puck nodded and followed Finn to the door. "Thanks," Puck said as Finn reached for the door handle.

Finn turned around, confused, and asked, "For what?"

"Spying on me, I guess," Puck shrugged. "I'm just glad I didn't have to babysit alone."

"Why?" Finn asked.

Puck's face went serious and he said, "You tell anyone this and I kill you, but I was scared to death. I had never taken care of a baby before and I didn't want to mess up."Finn smiled slightly at his friend, and said, "Yeah, well, no problem. Now you know you can do it."

"You did all the work," Puck pointed out.

"Whatever dude," Finn laughed. "Now you know you can do it, so next time you'll be fine. And if it makes you feel any better, I had no clue what I was doing the whole time."

"Maybe next time you can come with me? You know, instead of stalking me?" Puck asked. "I might be too badass to babysit alone."

Finn's laugh grew and he said, "Sure, dude."

They stood awkwardly in the doorway and looked at each other. The guy had never actually resolved their issues; babysitting Beth had kind of just thrown them out the window. "See you Monday, dude," Puck said, holding out his hand.

Finn took it and shook it before pulling Puck into a hug. They laughed as the tension from the past few weeks melted away. As they pulled out of the hug, they lingered. Finn could feel Puck's breath on his lips, and Puck's eyes remained closed as he sensed how close the other boy was to him. Neither one moved for a moment. Puck waited for Finn to make his move; the last thing he wanted was to piss off his best friend _again_. Finn waited a second too long, though, and Puck lost his nerve. He stepped away from Finn and avoided his eyes. "You know how to get back to Lima?" he asked.

Finn nodded and said, "See you Monday," before rushing out the door.

Puck watched his retreating form, laughing. "One day, Hudson," he mumbled. "One day you'll figure it out."


End file.
